Reel play-off stand



Dec. 18, 1962 R. E. I- IRT 3,

, REEL PLAY-OFF STAND Filed Dec. 1, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet l I I I I I I 1I I l l IN V EN TOR.

Avian 7 Dec. 18, 1962 R. E. HIRT 3,069,107

REEL PLAY-OFF STAND Filed Dec. 1, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.RQBEIPT' 5. 19/27 United States Patent 3,069,107 REEL PLAY-OFF STANDRobert E. Hirt, Hanover, Pa., assiguor to Continental Copper & SteelIndustries, Inc., Hanover Wire Cloth Division, Hanover, Pa., acorporation of Delaware Filed Dec. 1, 1958, Ser. No. 777,334 8 Claims.(Cl. 242-79) The present invention relates to a reel play-off stand andit particularly relates to a reel play-off stand which may be utilizedfor carrying wire to be used in connection with a wire drawingoperation.

It is among the objects of the present invention to provide a reelplay-off stand which may readily be utilized with any dimensions orwidth of reel with wire and which will permit ready association of areel of wire to be drawn with a wire drawing apparatus or wire drawingapparatus or wire drawing mill and which can be readily loaded orunloaded with a minimum of manual labor and lifting equipment.

Another object is to provide a reel play-off stand which may be readilyloaded and unloaded and in which assurance is had that the wire will befed in proper fashion without over-feed to the wire drawing equipment.

Still further objects and advantages will appear in the more detaileddescription set forth below, -it being understood, however, that thismore detailed description is given by way of illustration andexplanation only and not by way of limitation, since various changestherein may be made by those skilled in the art without departing fromthe scope and spirit of the present invention.

In accomplishing the above objects, it has been found most satisfactoryto provide a stand with side support members which carry in elevatedposition the side pivot mounts for the reel.

The stand is provided with ramps at the load-on point thereof so thatthe reel may be readily rolled up onto and in the sockets with therebeing provided two ramps adjacent the base, one for each of the sideflanges, to permit the entire reel to be elevated and with there beinganother ramp to engage the trunnions or pivot studs of the reel and topermit the same to be rolled onto the sockets into which it is receivedduring the unreeling operation.

In addition, the forward part of the reel is provided with spaced sidebrake arms pivotally mounted on the base and with a roller shaft at theforward part thereof under which the wire passes on its way to thedrawing up onto the stand and to be dropped into the recess pivot mountsor bearing blocks with the wire then being pulled out under a bearingmounted shaft on its way to the drawing mills or to any other operationthat may be desired, such as respooling.

To release the reel .either before or after the wire has been exhaustedthe brake arms may be moved downwardly so that the 'brake shoe willpress upwardly on the side flanges, lifting the trunnion pins or arborshaft from its bearing sockets.

Thereupon the reel may be rolled in reverse direction vention consistsof the novel construction, combination 3,069,107 Patented Dec. 18, 1962and arrangement of parts as hereinafter more specifically described, andillustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein is shown an embodimentof the invention, but it is to be understood that changes, variationsand modifications can be resorted to which fall within the scope of theclaims hereunto appended.

In the drawings wherein like reference characters denote correspondingparts throughout the several views:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view showing the reel in position on thestand with the wire being unreeled therefrom.

FIG. 2 is a front elevational view of the trunnion or arbor shaftarrangement with the drive pin connection for driving the reels.

FIG. 3 is a top elevational view of the arrangement as shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the reel play-off stand without the reelin position thereon taken from the side where the wire is taken ofi.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the reel play-off stand from the sidewhere the stand is loaded.

FIGURES 1 to 3 show a stand A carrying the reel B. The reel B isprovided with a coil of wire C which is being unwound as indicated at Dand moving to a Wire drawing mill fed into a resp'ooler or to some otherpiece of equipment.

The reel. itself is provided with the side flanges E which are mountedupon an arbor F carrying the trunnions G and the drive pin connection H.

The base structure A is provided with a low ramp J for the wheel flangesE and with a high ramp K for the trunnions G to enable them to be rolledinto the pivot or trunnion sockets L.

The lower ramps J are permanently mounted at their forward ends onto thestand A and particularly the cross member 21 as by welding and they aresufliciently wide to engage the side flanges E.

The side flanges E first roll along the ramps I and then the trunnions Groll along the ramps K by the hori-,

zontal portions 22 until the trunnions engage the sockets L without anypower or lever applications.

The brake arm arrangement M is provided with a bearing' mounted rollershaft N and with the brake shoes P.

Referring specifically to the stand A there is a base 10 which may restupon the floor or be mounted upon a foundation and this base on eachside of the reel B is provided with the upwardly extending structuralarms 11 which are connected by and terminate in the horizontal crossmember 12 at their upper ends.

These members carry the bearing blocks 13 having the bearing recesses L.These bearing blocks 13 have rear portions 14, the top of which coincidewith the center line of the bearing to facilitate loading and unloading,and forward portions 15 to hold the trunnions G in position as the reelis turned in the direction 16.

The arbor structure shown in FIG. 2 has the central cylindrical portionF with the side flanges 17 against which the main reel flanges E arepressed with the drive pin H being mounted on an extension or shoulder18, which pin H will fit into a recess on one of the side flanges E.This will assure that the arbor structure FH, as shown in FIG. 2, Willrevolve as shown in the bearing blocks 13, together with the reelflanges E as the wire is unwound or pulled from the reel.

The reel flanges E are normally rolled upon the ramp I which has anoblique portion 19 and an elevated flat portion 20 supported upon themembers 21. When the flanges reach the top 20 of the ramp J thetrunnions G will move onto the horizontal portion 22 of the top ramp K.One of these ramps K is positioned at each side of the reel and it hasan upwardly extending portion 23 from the leg '11 which supports theouter end a of the horizontal portion 22 which extends into the bearingblock 13, as indicated in FIG. 1.

The brake arm structure M consists of two members as shown in FIG. 3which are pivotally mounted at 35 on the upwardly extending flangemembers 36. The forward ends of the arms M carry the shaft 37 for thehearing mounted shaft or roller N under which the wire pases as it isbeing unreeled.

The weight of the arms M and the roller N may be such as to hold thewire down and control the tension on the wire as it moves upwardly asindicated at D in PEG. 1. The arms will be provided with stops 40.

The rearwardly extending arms 38 carry the brake shoes P which willcontact the flanges E and slow the reel 13 if the tension is releasedand the roller members or bearing member N is dropped.

This reel play-oif stand, as shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, may be fabricatedfor use with 30 reels as well as any other diameter and width of reel.

To load the stand the flanges are rolled up on the ramps J and then thetrunnions are rolled onto the ramps K and then onto the recesses L inthe bearing blocks 13.

The leading edges of the bearing blocks as indicated at 14 will cut at ahorizontal level the same as the center line of the bearing tofacilitate loading and unloading and the wire is then pulled under thebearing mounted shaft on roller N as it is pulled into the drawing millor other mechanism.

As the wire at D is unrolled, the brake arm M will raise, lowering thebrake shoe P from the reel.

However, when slack occurs, indicating that the wire is being fed toorapidly, the brake arm M will drop, permitting the brake shoe P tocontact the flanges E and brake the reel.

To unload the reel, a slight downward pressure applied by the foot uponthe brake arms M will lift the reel from the recesses L and permit it tobe rolled first reversely over the ramp K, and then reversely over theramp J, until it is completely released from the reel playoff stand.

The pin H fitting in the flange B will assure that the arbor structureas shown in FIG. 2 will revolve in the bearing blocks as the wire isdrawn off from the reel.

While there has been herein described a preferred form of the invention,it should be understoo dthat the same may be altered in details and inrelative arrangement of parts within the scope of the appended claims.

Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of theinvention, and in what manner the same is to be performed.

What is claimed is:

1. A reel play-off stand for a wire reel having a front outlet side forthe outgoing wire and a back inlet side for the incoming wire and havinga central transverse reel axis midway between said inlet and outletsides, said stand having a central arbor with wheel side flanges andoutwardly extending side trunnions, said stand comprising a base havingwheel flange engaging upwardly sloping base ramps onto which the reelmay be rolled by its flanges and elevated, side structures havingelevated bearing blocks with trunnion carrying recesses, upper rightangular trunnion engaging ramps having horizontal members leading to therecesses and vertical members mounted on said side structures, saidhorizontal members serving to receive the trunnions of the elevated reeland guide the trunnions into said recesses and a brake below the outletside of the reel having brake shoes under the reel and a guide rollerbeyond the reel in an outlet direction to control the letoff of thewire, said brake having a pivot mount on said stand below said edges ofthe reel flanges in the outlet direction and having outwardly extendingarms in an outlet direction carrying at their outer ends the outletguide roller at a horizontal position at about the lowermost level ofthe wire on the reel and having inwardly extending arms to carry saidbrake shoes located below the reel flanges but beyond in an outletdirection of the transverse axis of the reel.

2. A reel play-ofl? stand for a wire reel having a front outlet side forthe outgoing wire and back inlet side for the incoming wire and having acentral transverse reel axis midway between said inlet and outlet sides,said stand having a central arbor with wheel side flanges and outwardlyextending side trunnions, said stand comprising a base having wheelflange engaging upwardly sloping base ramps onto which the reel may berolled by its flanges and elevated, side structures having elevatedbearing blocks with trunnion carrying recesses, upper right angulartrunnion engaging ramps having hori zontal members leading to therecesses and vertical members mounted on said side structures, saidhorizontal members serving to receive the trunnions of the elevated reeland guide the trunnions into said recesses and a brak below the outletside of the reel having brake shoes under the reel and a guide rollerbeyond the reel in an outlet direction to control the letotf of thewire, said brake having a pivot mount on said stand below said edges ofthe reel flanges in the outlet direction and having outwardly extendingarms in an outlet direction carrying at their outer ends the lowermostlevel of the wire on the reel and having inwardly extending arms tocarry said brake shoes located below the reel flanges but beyond in anoutlet direction of the transverse axis of the reel, under which rollerthe wire is drawn as it leaves the reel to maintain tension thereon andassure smooth unreeling of the wire.

3. A reel play-off stand for a wire reel having a front outlet side forthe outgoing wire and back inlet side for the incoming wire and having acentral transverse reel axis midway between said inlet and outlet sides,said stand having a central arbor with wheel side flanges and outwardlyextending side trunnions, said stand comprising a base having wheelflange engaging upwardly sloping base ramps onto which the reel may berolled by its flanges and elevated, side structures having elevatedbearing blocks with trunnion carrying recesses, upper right angulartrunnion engaging ramps having horizontal members leading to therecesses and vertical members mounted on said side structures, saidhorizontal members serving to receive the trunnions of the elevated reeland guide the trunnions into said recesses and a brake below the outletside of the reel having brake shoes under the reel and a guide rollerbeyond the reel in an outlet direction to control the letofi of thewire, said brake having a pivot mount on said stand below said edges ofthe reel flanges in the outlet direction and having outwardly extendingarms in an outlet direction carrying at their outer ends the lowermostlevel of the wire on the reel and having inwardly extending arms tocarrying said brake shoes located below the reel flanges but beyond inan outlet direction of the transverse axis of the reel, said brake shoesbeing to the flanges on the reel if the wire is being unreeled morequickly than it is being taken up.

4. A reel play-off stand for a wire reel having a front outlet side ofthe outgoing wire and back inlet side for the incoming wire and having acentral transverse reel axis midway between said inlet and outlet sides,said stand having a central arbor with wheel side flanges and outwardlyextending side trunnions, said stand comprising a base having wheelflange engaging upwardly sloping base ramps onto which the reel may berolled by its flanges and elevated, side structures having elevatedhearing blocks with trunnion carrying recesses, upper right angulartrunnion engaging ramps having horizontal members leading to therecesses and vertical members mounted on said side structures, saidhorizontal members serving to receive the trunnions of the elevated reeland guide the trunnions into said recesses and a brake below the outletside of the reel having brake shoes under the reel and a guide rollerbeyond the reel in an outlet direction to control the letoff of thewire, said brake having a pivot mount on said stand below said edges ofthe reel flanges in the outlet direction and having outwardly extendingarms in an outlet direction carrying at their outer ends the lowermostlevel of the Wire on the reel and having inwardly extending arms tocarrying said brake shoes located below the reel flanges but beyond inan outlet direction of the transverse axis of the reel, said bearingblocks being cut oil at the level of the axis at the side at which thetrunnions roll thereinto and having elevated portions on the other sideto hold the trunnions in position.

5. A reel play-oft stand for carrying wire including a reel with acylindrical arbor having side wheel flanges and small circular flangesoutside and in contact with said side wheel flanges and an outstandingarm extending radially outwardly from one of said small circular flangeshaving an outer pin stud to engage a side wheel flange and cause saidflanges and arbor to turn together and having a through shaft with endtrunnions, said stand having two parallel inverted channels membersextending along each side thereof and two upwardly converging channelmembers forming side triangular supports and top platforms at the upperends of said triangular supports having side recesses to receive saidtrunnions, said stand having inlet and outlet cross members at the endsthereof between the parallel channel members, lower ramps consisting ofupwardly ascending inclined members for the reel flanges to elevate theend trunnions to the top platforms and above the side recesses and upperramps consisting of right angular members with vertical portionsextending upwardly from the triangular supports and horizontal portionsextending from theupper ends of the vertical portions to and above saidtop platforms to guide the trunnion ends into said recess, and apivotally mounted brake member positioned on the bottom of said standbelow the reel at the outlet side of the reel.

6. The stand of claim 5, said brake member including two side levermembers and said lever members carrying brake shoes at their inside endsto contact the periphery of the wheel flanges and having a cross guidemember at the other ends to contact the wire when unreeling to move thebrake shoes downwardly from the wheel flanges and means to rotate thewire reel and the side flanges so that the wire will be unreeledforwardly from the bottom of the coil and above the brake shoes andbelow the cross guide.

7. A reel play-0ft stand having a back inlet side and a front outletside for supplying wire from a wire reel, comprising a stand with spacedside parallel triangular supports having flat top bearing portions,bearing mounts on the flat top bearing portions, said mounts havingsemicylindrical transverse trunnion receiving recesses, a trunnionmember having a small diameter rotatable cylinder mounted between saidspaced supports having short side circular flanges adjacent to andpositioned against the inside faces of the bearing mounts said trunnionmember having shaft ends turning in said transverse recesses, and a reelhaving a central portion received upon and mounted on said smalldiameter cylinder and relatively wide circular side flanges positionedinside of and in contact with said short circular flanges, meansextending radially outwardly from one of said short flanges engaging oneof said wide flanges to cause said reel to turn with said trunnionmembers and a brake member to brake the edges of the wide flanges upontoo rapid supply of wire and removed from the edges of the wide flangesupon proper slow feed of wire, said brake having a pivot mount on thestand between the edges of the wide flanges at outlet side thereof,upwardly and parallel outwardly inclined arms extending in an outletdirection away from the outlet side of the pivot mount, a guide rollerfor the outgoing Wire between the outer ends of said arms at about thelower level of the wire on the reel, horizontal parallel inwardlydirected arms extending under the edges of the wide flanges and brakecontact means on the inner ends of the said arms.

8. The stand of claim 7, the inlet side having two upwardly inclinedramps on the stand at the bottom thereof to lift the wide circularflanges of the reel and right angular guides positioned thereabove andon the top bearing portions at the inlet side to guide the shaft endsinto said transverse recesses.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS527,879 Potter Oct. 23, 1894 1,122,834 Wood Dec. 29, 1914 1,677,561Lamatsch July 17, 1928 1,836,815 Reeves Dec. 15, 1931 1,864,676 Smith etal. June 28, 1932 1,855,665 Wood July 5, 1932 1,984,712 Wallsten Dec.18, 1934 2,107,074 Hineline Feb. 1, 1938 2,218,352 Fischer Oct. 15, 19402,504,046 Rabinow Apr. 11, 1950 2,624,522 Van Hook Jan. 6, 19532,656,050 Best et al Oct. 20, 1953 2,867,390 Anrig Jan. 6, 1959 FGREIGNPATENTS 654,235 France Nov. 28, 1928 505,479 Germany Aug. 20, 1930 OTHERREFERENCES Germany, 1,062,299, printed July 30, 1959, (K1, 21c 4/02).

